Badischer Sportfischerverband e.V.

Welcome to the Badischer Sportfischerverband e.V. Dear visitor, welcome to the online presence of the Badischer Sportfischerverband e.V. I am writing these lines as the current president of our association. Whether the following explanation arises from frustration over the increasing regulations limiting our work and rights as anglers, or rather to encourage those responsible to adopt the thinking that has been present in our minds for decades, is debatable. As a regional association, we represent our numerous member clubs who, like us, are dedicated to active nature, animal, and aquatic conservation efforts. Fishing in any form has existed since humanity populated our earth. While our waters used to primarily serve as a food source for the population, in recent decades, other tasks have taken precedence in our responsibilities and work. As active environmental, animal, and aquatic conservationists, we nurture and preserve the waters, the surrounding landscapes, and the flora and fauna found in and around the water. Fishing in Germany is fundamentally governed by the state fisheries law and the state fisheries regulation of each federal state. To practice fishing in Germany, one essentially needs two documents: a valid fishing license and, as a prerequisite for the same, a recognized professional competence certificate. This typically involves passing the fishing test or successfully completing training as a fish farmer. Every angler you encounter by the water today has therefore passed a professional competence exam requiring extensive knowledge in general fish science, specific fish science and species knowledge, equipment science, aquatic science, nature, animal, and plant protection, legal knowledge, among others. This also includes areas such as expertise in assessing water quality, understanding ecological relationships, and integrating and protecting all necessary factors, such as the microorganisms in and around the water. Additionally, knowledge of other regulations in the Animal Welfare Act, Federal Species Protection Regulation, and Federal Nature Conservation Act is essential. Therefore, anglers are not only concerned with supporting, maintaining, and preserving our fish stocks and species diversity but also protect and care for the habitats of all inhabitants in and around the water, whether in standing or flowing waters, whether amphibians, insects, fish, waterfowl, or -plants. Conserving these habitats, their renaturation, and increase are close to our hearts. This is something we, as anglers, have been doing successfully for decades through numerous measures. Through our active work in nature, such as water quality checks, habitat works to determine species diversity and their distribution, protection of endangered species, measures for reintroduction and population or species conservation, regular individual measures such as urban waste removal and shoreline cleaning of our waters, or the rescue of aquatic life and other animals after flooding, we make a significant contribution to intact habitats. Furthermore, we initiate, support, and finance projects related to these topics. As part of our charitable work, we educate interested children, adolescents, and adults in all of these aforementioned topics and continue to raise awareness for the protection and preservation of our nature and the ethical and responsible handling of creatures. This occurs with the support and accompaniment of other regional associations and their member clubs as well as the state fisheries association Baden-Württemberg as our state umbrella organization. The professional fishing associations and hunting associations also support us with their expertise, coordinated habitat measures, and active actions. Through the work of water overseers, biologists, fishing supervisors, and environmental experts in the clubs and associations, as well as through publications, we provide support with opinions, reports, and advisory functions to organizations and government agencies.